


Expectation

by annalore



Series: Public Displays of Affection [1]
Category: National Football League RPF
Genre: American Football, M/M, New York Jets, PDA
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-12-23
Updated: 2013-12-23
Packaged: 2018-01-05 18:50:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 692
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1097419
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/annalore/pseuds/annalore
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Geno Smith knows what being with Mark Sanchez is like.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Expectation

Geno knows what it’s like to go to a party with Mark.  He knows, and he’s used to it.  They walk in, and they’re surrounded by Mark’s friends, or his, never mutual.  Some people always look, raise eyebrows.  There’s an aspect of “Why the hell did you show up with him?” to it, though most are too polite to voice the question.

They go their separate ways, try to mingle, or in Mark’s case, sit in a corner with food and his phone, if it’s not his crowd.  Mark doesn’t try to fit in, and Geno fails.  He’s too different from Mark’s friends.  Younger.  Black.  From the South.  Not necessarily in that order.

They’re at another holiday party, some upscale place in the city.  Geno’s forgotten whose house it’s at.  Scattered around are athletes, socialites, and sports reporters, schmoozing and somehow all managing to breathe the same air.  He’s had the same polite conversation a dozen times, and now he’s leaning against a wall, trying not to think about how uncomfortable he is in his suit.

“Get you anything?” Mark asks, suddenly at Geno’s side. 

Geno looks over at him, surprised.  Mark looks right at home in his dark, well-tailored suit, his curls slicked back, emphasizing his high cheek bones.  He looks good, and Geno is glad to be with him, even if nobody knows that he’s really _with_ him.

“I’m fine,” he answers, trying not to look too happy to see Mark.

“So,” Mark says, leaning in.  “What’s it going to take to get you to go home with me?”  There’s a rosy flush on his cheeks that tells Geno he’s had a couple drinks.

“Mark,” he says warningly.  He looks around at the people around them, but nobody’s standing too close, and they’re clearly not listening.  But more than alarm, he feels… uncomfortable.  Mark’s never tried to flirt with him.  Mark never even really bothers to act like they’re friendly, which is why nobody understands why the hell they’re always around each other.

“C’mon, Gene,” Mark murmurs.  His voice is pitched low, and his eyes… are smoldering.  Geno doesn’t even bother to correct him.  He agrees to go.

Mark gets him his coat, helps him in to it.  He ends up standing close to Geno’s back, and he leans in, kisses the back of Geno’s neck.  His arm is momentarily around Geno’s waist.  Something inside Geno shifts, and he doesn’t look around, he just wants more of the same.  Mark’s arm draped casually around him.  Mark giving him pecks on the lips in front of his friends.  Mark bringing him food and drinks and fetching his coat and opening his car door, or fuck, maybe not quite that far.

Mark Sanchez smiling at him like he’s the most important person in the room.  He exhales slowly as Mark reaches out to him, and he takes Mark’s hand as they walk out together. 

He ends up opening the car door for Mark, because he’s slipping on the ice, just drunk enough to be slightly uncoordinated.  Geno drives Mark’s car back to Jersey, paranoid the entire time, because Mark is in love with his car.  The trip is silent, until Mark falls asleep and starts snoring softly.

“Hey, G,” Mark says, when Geno shakes him awake, that same beatific smile on his lips.  “This was a nice night.”

“Yeah, it was,” Geno agrees.

“Why don’t you come up and stay for a while?” Mark asks, struggling to unbuckle his seatbelt.

Geno knows what staying with Mark will be like.  Making sure he doesn’t fall on his ass on the way up, helping him to bed.  Having him fall asleep, probably half on top of him, snoring in his ear.  Putting up with his headache and bad mood when he wakes up.  It sounds wonderful to him.

He puts his hands over Mark’s, stops his futile efforts, and unbuckles the belt for him.  Mark leans in and gives him a sloppy kiss, his hair falling in his eyes.  He tastes like champagne and olives.  Geno loves him, and he’ll take him, just the way he is.  And sometimes, sometimes Mark will surprise him.


End file.
